New Delhi, March 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The parliament on Friday passed Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Bill, 2020 with an aim to settle pending direct tax disputes in the country.

The Bill, which will provide taxpayers a lucrative opportunity to settle direct tax disputes within the current financial year by waiving interest and penalty on their pending taxes, was passed by voice vote and returned by Rajya Sabha as it was a money bill.

On March 4, the Lok Sabha had passed the Vivad se Vishwas Bill with certain amendments.

Moving the Bill, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, large number of appeals related to tax disputes are pending at the various level which are putting pressure on the tax payers.

She said, this bill has been brought up with the objective to settle the tax dispute in an efficient manner.

Initiating the discussion, Congress member M V Rajeev Gowda said that bill has been brought up in haste and it provides the opportunity of one time settlement.

He said, government is not addressing the actual cause of the tax litigation. He said, unrealistic target of tax collection is putting pressure on the tax payers in the form of tax terrorism.

Replying to the some members who had raised issues on the bill asking how can the Central Board of Direct Taxes issue a circular on the scheme before passage of the bill in Parliament, she said, "There is no breach of privilege."

The Minister also said that the Bill will give an option to tax payers for settling disputes.

She also said that the government would send a circular to states in all languages for providing detailed information about the bill.

First proposed in Union Budget 2020, the Bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on February 12. The Vivad se Vishwas Bill aims to resolve 4.83 lakh direct tax cases worth Rs 9.32 lakh crore that are currently locked up in various appellate forums such as Commissioner (Appeals), Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, High Courts, Supreme Court and Debt Recovery Tribunals.

Also, once the Bill is passed by the Parliament, it can be availed in search and seizure operations with recoveries up to Rs 5 crore.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Lok Sabha was on Tuesday adjourned till March 1, taking a break of 19 days during the Budget session 2020.

It will meet on March 2 again for further business and will continue proceedings till April 3.

After passing the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) order (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House till 11 a.m. on March 2. This was the only Bill that was passed in the lower House in the first 12-day phase of this session.

This year's Budget session was divided into two parts. The first part began on January 31 and continued till Tuesday. The second half of the session will be from March 2 to April 3.

MP from Uttar Pradesh's Ghosi, Atul Kumar Singh alias Atul Rai took oath, signed the roll and took his seat on day one of the Budget session on January 31 soon after the House reassembled at 12.45 p.m. on the day after its sine die adjournment in the Winter Session last year.

During this phase, the Lok Sabha saw over 20 hours of discussion on President Ram Nath Kovind's address to both houses of Parliament and the Union Budget 2020-2021 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1.

Sitharaman presented the Budget amid an economic slowdown in the country.

A day earlier, she tabled the Economic Survey in the House.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a Bill by voice vote to include more tribes in Karnataka Scheduled Tribes' list.

Replying to a debate on the Bill, Union Minister Arjun Munda said the government was determined for welfare of Scheduled Tribes and the Bill was a step in that direction.

The Bill, passed by the Rajya Sabha during the Winter Session, seeks to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in Karnataka.

It seeks to include Parivara and Talawara tribes in the ST category to ensure reservation and other benefits to them. The Siddi tribe of Belagavi Dharwad would also be included in the ST category apart from those living in the Uttar Kannada districts.

The Karnataka government had recommended inclusion of Parivara and Talawara trines as synonyms to the 'Nayaka' community appearing at serial number 138 in the STs' list in the state.

Source: IANS

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Srinagar, Feb 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) There are no reports of existence of any de-radicalisation camps in the country, especially Jammu and Kashmir, Minister of State for Home G. Krishan Reddy told Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Earlier supporting the idea of de-radicalisation centres in Kashmir, as suggested by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, J&K Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh said such a move was welcome.

Singh had said experts and civil society members must join hands to counter radicalisation.

Last month, speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, General Rawat had sparked a controversy by speaking about setting up de-radicalisation camps.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) DMK MP Truchi Shiva has given a notice under rule 267 for suspension of business in the upper house on the issue of quota in promotion after the apex court said that reservation is not a fundamental right.

The House on Monday saw uproarious scene with opposition raking the issue and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacking the government where he said that reservation is against the RSS ideology and they are stopping the progress of SCs, STs and OBCs.

"The reservation is hurting the RSS and the BJP. They want to erase it. Every morning when they wake up it irritates them. Whatever the fantasy, the RSS/BJP live in, we will not allow it to happen", The Congress leader said.

"The issue is that the RSS and the BJP cannot live with the idea of Dalits, tribals and OBCs have reservation. This irritates them and they have tried to erase them", he added.

In the Lok Sabha on Monday, Leader of Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised the issue after the apex court's verdict. Chowdhury hit out at the Narendra Modi-led government for inflicting a "big damage" to the key empowerment tool available to Dalits and asked the government to clarify its stand over the verdict.

The Supreme Court in a judgement held that there is no fundamental right to claim reservation in promotion and states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments.

A bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta said: "In view of the law laid down by this court, there is no doubt that the state government is not bound to make reservations. There is no fundamental right which inheres in an individual to claim reservation in promotions."

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Tuesday List of Business in the Rajya Sabha will see tabling of papers by Union Ministers and submission of reports by parliamentary committees, besides further discussion on the Union Budget.

The Union Ministers who will lay papers on the table for their respective ministeries include: Harsh Vardhan for Ministry of Science and Technology, Shripad Yesso Naik for Ministry of AYUSH, Prahalad Singh Patel for Ministry of Culture, Raj Kumar Singh for Ministry of Power, Ashwini Kumar Choubey for Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Anurag Singh Tahkur for Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

MPs M. Shanmugama and Ram Narain Dudi of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on labour will table the fourth report on 'the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019'.

Union Minister Harsh Vardhan will make a statement regarding status of the implementation of the action taken by the government on the observations/recommendations by the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare on Demands for Grants (2018-19).

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Tuesday List of Business in the Lok Sabha will see Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reply on the general discussion on the Union Budget 2020-2021.

She will also move the Direct Tax Vivad Se Viswas Bill, 2020 for consideration and passage. The Bill seeks for resolution of disputed tax and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Union Minister Arjun Munda to move the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) order (Amendment) Bill, 2019 for consideration. The Bill will further amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 to modify the list of the Scheduled Tribes in Karnataka, as passed by the Rajya Sabha.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) The government on Monday said that the draft detailed project report (DPR) for connecting Godavari and Cauvery rivers has been prepared.

Union Minister of State Rattan Lal Kataria informed the Rajya Sabha that the draft DPR was sent to the party states in March 2019.

In a written reply to the Upper House, the minister stated that the ambitious project to connect the two major rivers consists of three links -- Godavari (Inchampalli/Janampet)-Krishna (Nagarjunasagar), Krishna (Nagarjunasagar)-Pennar (Somasila) and Pennar (Somasila)-Cauvery (Grand Anicut).

As per the draft DPR, about 247 TMC of water can be diverted from Godavari river to Nagarjunsagar dam (through lifting) and further south for meeting the demands of Krishna, Pennar and Cauvery basins, said the minister who's the MoS for Jal Shakti and Social Justice and Empowerment ministries.

As per the draft DPR, the cost of the project has been estimated at Rs 60,361 crore at 2018-19 price level by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA).

The stage of implementation of the project would be reached after the DPR is prepared with the consensus of concerned states and the requisite statutory clearances are obtained. Pooling of resources will be decided after the completion of the final DPR.

The draft DPR has been prepared by NWDA.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) The government is giving special focus on 13 sporting disciplines to assure a stellar performance by India in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju, said on Monday.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the minister informed the House that the disciplines selected under the 'Target Olympic Podium Scheme' (TOPS) include athletics, archery, badminton, boxing, hockey, weightlifting, shooting, wrestling, swimming, table tennis, rowing, judo and cycling.

He also stated that under TOPS, the government is extending support to the probable athletes identified for the 2024 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

The support components include foreign training, international competition, equipment, services of support staff, sports psychologist, mental trainer and physiotherapist besides a monthly pocket allowance of Rs 50,000.

Rijiju stated that similar focus is being given to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, for which an additional discipline, fencing, has been added.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju, informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday that 627 sportspersons are currently receiving monthly pensions under the Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons scheme.

Indian sportspersons winning medals in international sporting or paralympic events are eligible for lifelong pension upon retirement, or after attaining the age of 30 years, whichever is later.

In a written reply to a question, Rijiju said that monthly pensions, ranging between Rs 12,000 and Rs 20,000, are being disbursed under the scheme to medal winners at international sporting events such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, World Cups and World Championships .

The minister also informed the House that the government is coming to the aid of yesteryear sportspersons who have fallen on bad times.

Even sportspersons requiring medical treatment are recieving support through the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS), he said.

"These schemes are equally applicable to disabled sportspersons," Rijiju said.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Opposition parties came together in Rajya Sabha on Monday to demand that the Centre takes immediate steps for ensuring reservation in promotions for SCs, STs and the OBCs in government jobs in the wake of a ruling of the Supreme Court on the issue.

Not satisfied by the statement made by Thawar Chand Gehlot, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, the members cutting across party lines sought firm steps by the government on the issue.

In its judgement last Friday on appeals on reservations for SC/ST community members in promotions to Assistant Engineer (Civil) posts in the Public Works Department of the Uttarakhand government, the Supreme Court held that states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments and there is no fundamental right to claim quota in promotions.

Gehlot in his statement said that the matter is currently being discussed at a very high level given that the issue was of immense significance. He, however, noted that the Government of India was not a party in the case and it was never ever asked to give any undertaking on it.

He noted that it was Congress government in Uttarakhand which had in 2012 decided not to give reservations in promotions to SCs/STs and OBCs.

"Our government is dedicated and committed for the welfare of SCs/ STs and OBCs," Gehlot added.

Some of the members termed the minister's statement as vague as it did not spell out any action plan to reverse the SC order on reservations in promotions.

PL Punia of Congress said that the BJP government in Uttarakhand had advocated in the court that no one had the right to ask for reservations in promotions while terming it unfortunate. He urged the government to file a review petition in the Supreme Court.

Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Tiruchi Siva supported Punia and said that government should file review petition and assure the members of SC/ST and OBC community that their reservations would not be forfeited.

Leader of Opposition in the House (LoP) Ghulam Nabi Azad urged the government to hold an urgent meeting of the Union Cabinet to decide about review petition.

"In case that does not happen, the government should bring a bill in the House," he demanded.

Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav wanted a timeline from the government for filing the review petition and added that reservation in judiciary should also be considered as without it such judgements would keep coming.

Source: IANS

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Maran's remark came when he was speaking in the House over debate on the Union Budget 2020-2021.

"The government keeps quoting Thirukkural and talk about Tamil but it does not do anything for a classical language like Tamil and spend money on a dead language like Sanskrit," Maran said.

Treasury benches hit back at Dayanidhi and sought his apology for calling Sanskrit a "dead" language.

Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur said: "You are free to criticize the government over Budget, its policies and its working style but it cannot be accepted if you attack Sanskrit language, which is the language of gods".

Speaker in the Chair Rama Devi also criticized the DMK leader for making such remarks against any language and said that the opposition demands apology from others but they themselves do not follow the rules when they commit mistakes.

Source: IANS

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The three institutes which would be clubbed are Institute of Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Gulab Kunverba Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya and Institute of Ayurveda Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Raising opposition against the introduction of the Bill, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy said why the institute is being set up in Gujarat and that it should instead be set up either in Kerala, Delhi, Varanasi or West Bengal.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also opposed that Bill saying that it "failed to define the criteria to meet the larger perspective".

Tharoor said that the government has been arbitrary in the selection of the three institutes.

Introducing the Bill, Minister of State for Ayush Shripad Yesso Naik said he would consider the suggestions made by the members of the house regarding the draft law.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Lok Sabha on Monday witnessed uproarious scenes with the Congress seeking government's reply on the Supreme Court ruling that reservation in jobs and promotions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is not a fundamental right.

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised the issue during Question Hour soon after the house assembled for the day leading to Speaker Om Birla and Deputy Leader of the House Rajnath Singh assuring the opposition to take up the matter during Zero Hour.

Raising the issue as a matter of protest against the apex court's verdict, Chowdhury hit out at the Narendra Modi-led government for inflicting a "big damage" to the key empowerment tool available to Dalits and asked the government to clarify its stand over the issue.

The Lok Sabha Speaker stopped the Congress leader from raising the issue during Question Hour, saying "you should not interrupt the house proceedings like this. You can raise the issue during Zero Hour. The government will reply to your queries."

As the Congress continued its demand, Rajnath Singh intervened and said: "The judgment has been given by the Supreme Court. Social Welfare Minister will reply to your queries during Zero Hour."

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) also opposed when the Supreme Court on Friday delivered the verdict which mentions that quotas and reservations for promotions for government jobs is not a fundamental right.

The top court had said it could not compel states to provide quotas and states could not be forced to make such provisions without data showing imbalance in representation of certain communities in public service.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Congress on Monday gave notice in the Rajya Sabha under rule 267 for suspension of business against the SC verdict on promotion quota. Similar adjournment motion was moved in the Lok Sabha supported by left parties.

Congress leader Udit Raj alleged that, "Modi government is taking away the reservation through courts and its not nayay palika but brahmin palika."

The Congress has alleged that the essence of the reservation in the Constitution has received a blow after the Supreme Court decision on the issue of reservation in appointments and promotions, and alleged that the rights of SC/ST communities have been constantly under threat during the BJP rule.

Congress General Secretary Mukul Wasnik, on Sunday, had said: "This has come out only recently... the Parliament is in session and tomorrow (Monday) when the Parliament will meet certainly I do believe that some of our members will take up the issue... and when the parliament session gets over, we will see how the situation unfolds."

The Supreme Court in a judgement held that there is no fundamental right to claim reservation in promotion and states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments.

A bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and Hemant Gupta said: "In view of the law laid down by this court, there is no doubt that the state government is not bound to make reservations. There is no fundamental right which inheres in an individual to claim reservation in promotions."

The top court observed the state government has the absolute discretion to decide whether or not to provide for reservation in appointments or reservation in promotions. Also, the state government is not under any obligation to do so.

The verdict came on pleas regarding the Uttarakhand government's September 5, 2012 decision, when the Congress was in power in the hill state, to fill up all posts in public services in the state without providing reservations to SCs/STs.

"We would like to know from this Modi Government, whether it believes that the right to reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in government employment is a fundamental right or not. We would like to know from this Government of India, whether it is the constitutional duty of the government to provide reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in government employment or not," said Wasnik.

Congress spokesperson Udit Raj, who was also present, accused the BJP government of turning against Dalits and reservation.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Several ministers will lay papers on the table in the Rajya Sabha concerning their departments. Among them include Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Arjun Meghwal, Miniter of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Babul Supriyo, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Rattan Lal Kataria and Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Pratap Chandra Sarangi.

Union Minister Harsh Vardhan will move a motion of election to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The motion says: "That in pursuance of sub-rule (xxiii) of Rule 1 read with sub-rule (ii) of Rule 15 of the Rules and Regulations of the Indian Council of Medical Research, this House do proceed to elect, in such manner as the Chairman may direct, one Member from amongst the Members of the House to be a member of the Governing Body of the Indian Council of Medical Research."

Apart from that questions entered in separate lists to be asked and answers given.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday will make a statement in the Lok Sabha regarding the Centre's response to the novel coronavirus outbreak in China.

He will also make a statement regarding the status of implementation of the recommendations contained in the 106th, 112th, 107th and 113th Reports of the Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare on Demands for Grants 2018-19 pertaining to the Department or Health and Family welrare and Department of Health Research respectively, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and Congress leader of House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will present the 13th report of the Business Advisory Committee.

In Legislative business, the institute of Teacning and Research in Aurveda Bill, 2020 to be introduced.

Union Minister Shripad Yesso Naik will move for leave to introduce a Bill to provide for the establishment of an institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is to move The Direct Tax Vivad Se Viswas Bill, 2020 for passing and consideration. The Bill provides for resolution of disputed tax and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, be taken into consideration.

There will also be a further general discussion on the Union Budget for 2020-2021.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) A draft 'National Policy for Rare Diseases' was finalized, Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, on Friday informed Parliament.

The MoS Health, in his written reply to a question asked in Lok Sabha, said "the draft has been placed on the website of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with a view to elicit comments and views of stakeholders, including the States and Union Territories and the general public by February 15.

The draft policy provides for lowering the incidence of rare diseases based on an integrated preventive strategy encompassing awareness generation and screening programmes and, within the constraints on resources and competing health care priorities, enable access to affordable health care to patients of rare diseases which are amenable to one-time treatment.

Choubey informed the House that number of persons suffering from diseases considered rare globally, was lacking in India and also there was limited data available on rare diseases. Therefore for the purpose of the policy the term 'rare diseases' shall construe three groups of disorders, identified and categorised by experts based on their clinical experience. The draft policy focused on prevention of rare diseases as a priority for all the three groups of rare diseases identified by experts.

The three groups under which diseases fall in rare categories have been identified as Group 1: Disorders amenable to one time curative treatment. This includes disorders amenable to treatment with Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) and disorders amenable to organ transplantation.

Group 2 pertains to diseases requiring long term or lifelong treatment having relatively lower cost of treatment and benefit, has been documented in the literature and annual or more frequent surveillance is required. This has been subdivided in two more groups-Disorders managed with special dietary formulae or Food for special medical purposes (FSMP) and Disorders that are amenable to other forms of therapy (hormone/ specific drugs) .

Group 3 encompasses diseases for which definitive treatment is available but challenges are to make optimal patient selection for benefit, very high cost and lifelong therapy.

For disorders like Wolman Disease, Hypophosphatasia, Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, Cystic Fibrosis, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy for which the cost of treatment is very high and either long term follow up literature is awaited or has been done on small number of patients was categorised as subgroup of group 3 of the rare diseases, said the minister.

"Diseases like Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs), the Enzyme replacement Therapy (ERT) is presently not available", the minister informed the house.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The government has said that a number of leading international companies are coming forward to help with the Skill India Mission. Technology and telecommunication majors from Europe and the US -- Microsoft, IBM, CISCO among others -- are helping set up different training programmes, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship R.K. Singh told Rajya Sabha on Friday.

The minister's written reply stated, "IBM has launched a two-year Advance Diploma Programme in IT, Networking and Cloud Computing in 16 NSTIs. Similarly CISCO is setting up Net Academy Lab in six NSTIs for Master Trainer Training Programme to NSTI Instructors."

The minister also said that the Directorate General of Training in collaboration with Adobe has launched training programme for Digital CV, Graphic, Videos, Web pages under which 17,200 persons have been trained and another 7,000 instructors of ITIs and NSTIs have been given Masters' Training.

He also listed some programmes designed specifically for training the women work force in the country. "Data Security Council of India, set up by NASSCOM, in collaboration with Microsoft, has launched a programme called Cyber Shiksha to create a skilled and industry-ready women professionals in the realm of cyber security under which 500 women have been trained during 2019-20. Besides, Symantec is funding a program to train women engineers on Cyber Security trades," Singh said in his reply.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) A dramatic sequence of events disrupted Lok Sabha proceedings on Friday, leading to the House being adjourned for the day following a scuffle between BJP and Congress MPs over Rahul Gandhi's 'danda' jibe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

After two brief adjournments -- first around 11.50 a.m. and the second at 1 p.m. -- the House was adjourned to meet a third time at 2 p.m. Speaker in the chair A. Raja then adjourned the House till Monday morning within minutes of its meeting as lawmakers from both sides again created pandemonium.

Earlier the House had to be adjourned minutes after it met at 1 p.m. following a scuffle between Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party MPs. Congress leader Manickam Tagore had tried to snatch a paper from Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan when he was reading out a note condemning Rahul over his remark against Modi.

The Congress leader's snatching attempt was followed by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh rushing towards Tagore to stop him, and then MPs from both treasury and opposition benches trooped near Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's podium.

Following the ruckus, Om Birla adjourned the House till 1 p.m.

The uproar started soon after Gandhi asked a question from the Health Minister during question hour.

Mentioning the listed question number 89, Rahul inquired from the Health Minister Vardhan about establishment of medical colleges planned for his Wayanad constituency in Kerala under Phase-III of the centrally sponsored scheme for the 'Establishment of New Medical Colleges' attached with existing district or referral hospitals in aspirational districts.

Harsh Vardhan responded by saying that before he answered the question, he wanted to condemn the language Rahul had used against the Prime Minister. Vardhan, who made the remarks amid uproar, said he was surprised at Gandhi's remarks as his father was a Prime Minister.

"In the worst of cases, BJP leaders have not made such personal remarks against Gandhi. The entire House must in unequivocal terms condemn his language against the Prime Minister," said Harsh Vardhan.

Gandhi had said that the youth of India will "beat him (Modi) up with a stick" given the rising unemployment in the country.

While addressing a rally in poll-bound Delhi on Wednesday, Gandhi had said that Modi will "not be able to step out of his house in six months from now. The youth of India will beat him with sticks to make him understand that without employment, the country can never progress."

Gandhi was addressing a rally at Old Delhi's Hauz Qazi area.

The Prime Minister on Thursday hit back at Gandhi over his 'danda' jibe, saying he would be "sufficiently prepared given his pursuance of yoga in the last 20 years". He said his back has become 'danda-proof', and that he would further strengthen it with more "surya namaskars".

Replying to a debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's address, Modi on Thursday said: "I heard a Congress leader saying that the youth will hit Modi with sticks in six months. I have decided that I will increase my frequency of 'surya namaskar' so that my back becomes so strong that it can bear with the hits."

Source: IANS

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In a written reply to a query, the minister said, "As many as 73.47 lakh youths have availed training under the PMKVY 2016-20, of whom 16.61 lakh candidates have been placed."

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has been implementing PMKVY 2.0 with a view to imparting skill development training to the prospective youth across 371 courses.

In addition, long-term training in 137 trades is being imparted through 15,697 industrial training institutes (ITI) under the Craftsman Training Scheme, with a cumulative seating capacity of 34.30 lakh.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) At least 1.5 lakh Sub Health and Primary Health Centres are to be transformed into Health and Wellness Centres across the country under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Ashwini Kumar Choubey informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.

In his written reply to a question asked in the Lok Sabha, Choubey said: "Under Ayushman Bharat - Health & Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs), 1.5 lakh Sub Health Centres and Primary Health Centres are to be transformed into Health and Wellness Centres across the country for provision of Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC)."

The Minister also said that the provision included preventive healthcare and health promotion at the community level with continuum of care approach

The upgradation is to be completed by December, 2022.

There are at least 29,414 Health and Wellness Centres under Ayushman Bharat - Health and Wellness Centres in the states and union territories as on February 3, the Minister informed the House.

These centres have been categorised as Sub Health Centres(SHC), Primary Health Centres (PHC) and Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHC).

Out of all, Delhi, Lakshadweep and Ladakh have no centres under any category, showed the data.

The Minister also informed the House that the "Public Health and Hospitals being a State subject, the States have been accorded the flexibility to identify the facilities to be upgraded as Health and Wellness Centres based on the availability of Health Infrastructure and Human Resources."

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) Noting that old ration card will remain valid throughout the country, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday warned against spreading rumours and said that if needed, he would request the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the matter.

Paswan said that a fake letter had surfaced claiming that a new card under 'One Nation, One Ration Card' scheme would be issued and private vendors had been engaged for the same.

"A lot of rumours are going on. There is a fake letter in this regard. The middle man and others have been spreading rumours that private companies like Tata and Mahindra would be engaged for preparing the card. This is completely baseless," Paswan said while replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

He stressed that the existing card will be accepted across the country to get ration.

Paswan said that he had asked the department to look into the rumour and take action. Further, the department may refer the case to the CBI if needed.

The government has decided to implement the ambitious 'One Nation, One Ration card' scheme across the country by June 1 this year.

Paswan said that he had urged the states to take up the issue on priority so that the scheme could be implemented earlier than the cut-off date.

Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries would get food grains from any Fair Price Shop in the country using the same ration card.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Friday's list of Business in the Rajya Sabha includes papers to be tabled by Parshottam Rupala for the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and Angadi Suresh Channabasappa for the Ministry of Railways.

A number of private members' Legislative Bills are listed for introduction on Friday, which include the Uniform Civil Code in India Bill, 2020. MP Kirodi Lal Meena is to move the Bill which seeks to provide for the constitution of the National Inspection and Investigation Committee for preparation of Uniform Civil Code and its implementation throughout the country.

Yet another of the Private Members' Legislative Business Bills for introduction is the Refugee and Asylum Bill, 2019. Husain Dalwai is to introduce the Bill which seeks to provide for the establishment of an effective system to protect refugees and asylum-seekers by means of an appropriate legal framework to determine claims for asylum and to provide for the rights and obligations flowing from such status.

Source: IANS

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Replying to a query raised by an MP during Question Hour over the Ayushman Health Card question, the Minister further requested the Chief Ministers of these four states to implement the scheme for the welfare of the poor people.

Calling the scheme a unique and ambitious scheme in the world, Harsh Vardhan said over 55 crore poor people will be benefited through the scheme and that more than 82 lakh people have already availed the benefit of the scheme in the last one year.

The Minister said: "We have decided to establish 1.5 lakh Health Care Well Centres under the scheme by December 31, 2022 and over 40,000 such centres will be completed by March 31 this year."

He said that a total of 12.04 crore people have been provided Ayushman Health Card so far through which they can benefit the health treatment at any 22,000 empanelled hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

He, however, clarified that the remaining 43 crore people, who have not received the Ayushman Health Card so far, can also avail the benefit of the Centre's scheme as it is only for the poor people.

Ayushman Bharat was launched as recommended by the National Health Policy 2017 to achieve the vision of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This initiative has been designed on the lines to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and its underlying commitment, which is "leave no one behind".

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 1 p.m. on Friday after the treasury benches raising the issue of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'danda' jibe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Gandhi had said that the youth of India will "beat him (Modi) up with a stick" given the rising unemployment in the country.

The issue was raised by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan during Question Hour condemning Gandhi's "disrespectful" remarks against the Prime Minister while addressing a rally in poll-bound Delhi on Wednesday.

The Minister said "we condemn" the remarks made by Gandhi against Prime Minister.

As Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla tried to stop the Minister while reading a statement over the issue, Harsh Vardhan continued leading the ruckus in the House.

Following the pandaemonium, the Speaker adjourned the House till 1 p.m. Various MPs from Congress, Trinamool and BJP approached the Spekaer's podium.

Gandhi had said that Modi will "not be able to step out of his house in six months from now. The youth of India will beat him with sticks to make him understand that without employment, the country can never progress."

Gandhi was addressing the rally at Old Delhi's Hauz Qazi area.

The Prime Minister on Thursday gave a befitting reply to Gandhi over his 'danda' jibe, saying he would be sufficiently prepared given his pursuance of yoga in the last 20 years. He said his back has become 'danda-proof', and he will further strengthen it with more surya namaskars.

Replying to a debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's address, Modi on Thursday said: "I heard a Congress leader say that youth will hit Modi with sticks in six months. I have decided that I will increase my frequency of 'surya namaskar' so that my back becomes so strong that it can bear the hits."

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The List of Business in the Rajya Sabha on Friday includes tabling papers by two Union Minsiters and Private Members' Bills.

Union Ministers Parshottam Rupala and Angadi Suresh Channabasappa will lay papers on the table for their respective ministries -- Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Ministry of Railways.

The revised list of the Rajya Sabha also has private members Legislative Business. The Bills of 16 members are listed for Friday.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday will make a statement in the Lok Sabha regarding the response of Centre to novel coronavirus outbreak in China.

Vardhan will also make a statement regarding the status of implementation of the recommendations contained in the 106th, 112th, 107th and 113th reports of the Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare on demands for grants 2018-19 pertaining to the Department of Health and Family Welfare, and Department of Health Research respectively.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and Congress leader of House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will present the thirteenth report of the Business Advisory Committee.

The List of Business also includes the general discussion on the Union Budget for 2020-2021, and the Private Member's Business.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Health and Family Welfare Ministry has proposed the draft amendment to the Drugs and magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements Act, 1954), with a stringent punishment of a jail term of up to five years and a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh for advertisements for magic remedies and drugs promoting fair skin, enhancing sexual performance, stammering, infertility in women, premature ageing and greying, increasing brain capacity among others.

The draft amendment has made several additions to the list of diseases, disorders, conditions covered in the Act. The Act says that medicines, "magic remedies" and products to cure any of these 78 diseases, disorders, conditions named should not be advertised.

The new additions include ads for drugs or treatment for enhancing sexual performance, sexual impotence, premature ejaculation and spermatorrhoea, fairness of skin, premature ageing, AIDS, improvement of memory, improvement in height of kids/adults, improvement in size of sexual organ, duration of sexual performance, premature graying of hair, stammering, sterility in women, disorders of menstrual flow hysteria, power to rejuvenate, obesity, maintenance or improvement of the capacity of the human being for sexual pleasure, improvement in size and shape of the sexual organ and in duration of sexual performance, insanity, increase in brain capacity and improvement of memory and improvement in height of children/adults.

Under the Act, the first conviction is punishable with imprisonment of up to six months or fine or both; and a subsequent conviction can result in imprisonment of up to a year or fine, or both.

The amendment proposes to increase the penalties. For the first conviction, the proposed punishment is imprisonment of up to two years and fine up to Rs 10 lakh. For subsequent conviction, the imprisonment may extend to five years with a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh.

The Ministry said the amendment is being made in order to keep pace with changing time and technology. It has been decided to solicit suggestions/comments/objections from the public/ stakeholders with regard to the said draft Bill. The suggestions/comments/objections may be forwarded within 45 days from the date of issue of this notice.

The draft bill also proposes an expansion of definition of an advertisement. It says, "any audio or visual publicity, representation, endorsement or pronouncement made by means of light, sound, smoke, gas, print, electronic media, internet or website and includes any notice, circular, label, wrapper, invoice, banner, poster or such other documents.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Remaining firm on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the National Population Register (NPR) was a general administrative exercise and would help in delivery of government services.

Replying to debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, Modi said in the Rajya Sabha the opposition was protesting against the NPR for their narrow political gains. All state governments had given their approvals through gazette notifications, but some of them were now making U-turns, he said.

After the Prime Minister's speech and before the House adopted the Motion, the opposition parties staged a walkout.

Quoting former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and Samajwadi leader Ram Manohar Lohia, the Prime Minister attacked the opposition, especially the Congress. He also read out part of a 1947 Congress resolution to remind that it was opposing something that it supported then.

Modi said the Congress had earlier favoured citizenship to minorities from Pakistan and emphasised the resolution passed with the aim to grant citizenship to Hindus travelling to India from Pakistan used the word non-Muslims.

He asked the Opposition to not "misguide and misinform" on the citizenship law and expressed reservations over resolutions passed by some states.

Mentioning Kerala, he said the Chief Minister was on one hand talking about extremist elements infiltrating anti-CAA stirs, on the other his party was extending support to them in Delhi.

He said the wrong path taken by many opposition parties on the CAA was unfortunate.

On the Opposition charge that they were not being consulted and the government didn't believe in consensus building, Modi said the citizenship law or abrogation of Article 370 had been debated and discussed in the House before being passed.

He also reminded the Opposition how the Bill to create Telangana was rushed through Parliament during the UPA rule. "The whole country saw how doors were closed and the TV cameras were shut," he said.

In his almost 75-minute address, the Prime Minister dismissed the Opposition charges on a range of issues. As many as 45 MPs had taken part in the discussion on the motion.

Recounting his government's achievements, he said India's economic fundamentals were strong and the roadblocks in the way of the Goods and Services Tax were removed and the GST was implemented.

He said as the Gujarat Chief Minister he had flagged several issues related to the GST and resolved them when he became the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister stated that tier-II and III towns were contributing to the growth and their issues must be addressed, and mentioned about the UDAN scheme that provided air-connectivity to these towns.

Targeting Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, he said in the past 18 months several schemes, many of them first for the state, had been implemented in J&K.

Under the PM Awas Yojana, against 3,500 houses built earlier, in less than two years over 24,000 houses were built in J&K. He also mentioned other steps, like reservation to the poor, providing electricity and building roads in the past 18 months.

Speaking on the Motion on Wednesday, Azad had compared several social indices of the erstwhile J&K state and questioned the government's decision to split the state into two Union Territories (UTs).

Making light of the Congress leader's remark that the Northeast was burning, Modi said had the situation been that bad, the Opposition would have sent delegations and held press conferences.

He highlighted the government move to settle the Bru refugees's issue, saying despite being in power at the Centre and in N-E states the Congress never cared to solve them.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Over 1 lakh women benefited through legal services and advice under the Legal Service Authorities Act, 1987, Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Irani said in her written reply that as per the information received from National Legal Authority Services (NALSA), about 1,82,506 women have been benefited through legal services and advice under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 during the current financial year 2019-20 (up to November, 2019).

The Minister's response was based on inputs provided by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)'s latest data.

The data have detailed figures about crimes against women in states as well as union territories during the year 2018. A total of 378,277 cases of crime against women were reported.

As many as 16,920 such cases were reported in Bihar and 18,531 persons chargesheeted while 800 persons were convicted in these cases.

In Maharashtra, more than 35,000 cases were reported and 1,960 people were convicted.

Delhi reported 13,640 such cases in which 935 people were convicted.

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Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday informed Parliament that the Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Railways have jointly taken up an initiative to ensure the care and protection, security and well-being of run away children.

Irani, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, said that "the Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Railways have jointly taken up an initiative to ensure the care and protection, security and well-being of run away, unaccompanied and trafficked children who may come in contact with Railway. The Ministry has supported Railway Childline help desk at 122 Railway stations."

The minister said that over fifty thousand children were traced during the year 2018 out of which 20,555 were boys and 42,691 were girls. This included, 17,900 boys and 38,566 girls from the states and 2,655 boys and 4,125 girls from the Union Territories. The data was based on the inputs provided by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). At least 27 Transgender children were also traced in Bihar aged between 5 to 14 years.

As per Section 2 (14) (ix) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act), a child who is found vulnerable and is likely to be inducted into drug abuse or trafficking is included as a 'child in need of care and protection'.

"Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing 'Child Protection Services' (CPS) (erstwhile Integrated Child Protection Scheme), for the care, protection, rehabilitation and reintegration of children in difficult circumstances," Irani said in the Rajya Sabha.

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Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Congress leader Manish Tewari here on Thursday said the Indian economy was in "fragile state" as all its fundamentals were down.

Taking part in discussion on the budget in the Lok Sabha, Tewari said the economy was "affected with coronavirus" and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was claiming its improving and prescribing cough and cold medicine.

He asked if the government didn't understand that the economy won't be back on track without rise in consumption of 90 crore people. "Last year, the government gave Rs 1.45 crore sops to capitalist, instead of 66 per cent rural population who are the biggest consumers."

Tewari accused the government of failure in providing "economic justice" to people and said the budget focused on wealth creators. "The government of 125 crore Indians is only for 101 billionaires. 70 per cent of the wealth is owned by 1 per cent," Tewari said.

Referring to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's forecast, Tewari said if an economics professor was saying the economy was not in a good shape it must be taken seriously.

Over 27 million people were lifted out of poverty in 10 years by the United Progressive Alliance government through a systematic plan, not by any "magical stick", said the Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib in Punjab.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Accusing the Congress of indulging in political hypocrisy on the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday said in Parliament the NRC was first introduced by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

During the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address, Javadekar said the Congress had introduced the NRC in 1985 and the National Population Register (NPR) in 2010 (during the UPA rule).

"When you brought it, we welcomed it. But if we do the same, you oppose it. It's political hypocrisy," he said.

Referring to abrogation of Article 370, Javadekar said three former Chief Ministers of J&K had been held in guest houses for around three months as a temporary measure. "But the Congress had kept Sheikh Abdullah in the custody for 11 years," he said.

Talking about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), Javadekar said it was only an amendment with a specific intent. "The CAA is a specific amendment for specific proof of citizenship of a person persecuted in a specific country on religious grounds," he said.

On the Shaheen Bagh protests, Javadekar said the NDA government had not taken steps like clampdown on the Ramlila ground protests (in 2011) by the then UPA government.

"Those among you who support the Shaheen Bagh protests, tell me do you support Sharjeel Imam's statements (on separating Assam from India)," he asked the Opposition.

Javadekar said improvement in the country's internal security was evident from decline in terror attacks or bomb blasts in the recent times.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reiterated that the situation in J&K has improved dramatically after abrogation of Article 370 and formation of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking in support of the Presidents' speech during the Motion of Thanks in Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister refuted the opposition members' contention that the decision on Article 370 had been rushed through without a discussion.

During his speech in the Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister reminded the members of the way in which Telangana formation Bill was hurriedly pushed through in Parliament during the UPA regime in 2014.

"Nobody can forget when Telangana was formed, the country has seen how doors were closed and TV cameras were shut."

He contrasted Telangana's formation during UPA tenure with NDA's smooth handling of formation of three states -- Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh -- during Vajpayee-led NDA government rule.

Clarifying that the decisions on Jammu and Kashmir had been taken only after extensive discussions in Parliament, the Prime Minister said that immediately after Article 370 was revoked, the underprivileged people in the new Union Territory could avail the benefits of reservation.

Source: IANS

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